A Promise
by alchemicangels
Summary: "A part of me will always live through him. I won't be able to, so you'll have to love him for me." Pearl stared up at Rose. Another silent tear rolled down her cheek. "Can you promise me that?" Pearl nodded. "I promise. I'll love him as I love you."


**A/N: I decided to rewatched Rose's Scabbard... and then this happened. I'm sorry.**

 **Please review!**

* * *

"Take care of him, won't you?" she asked, her hand resting on top of her stomach. "Greg is going to need a lot of help."

She sat on the sand, gazing out at the soft reflection of the moon against the dark, rippling waters. An ocean breeze ruffled the mass of pink hair that cascaded around her in all directions, each individual curl seeming to be everywhere at once as it flowed around her shoulders. She lifted her arm and gracefully tucked a strand behind her ear.

Rose Quartz turned to face the gem sitting beside her with a wistful expression; her eyes were filled with sadness, although the shimmer of hope she never lost was still there, as bright as always. "I have faith that you can do it, Pearl."

The other gem was silent at first. A few long seconds passed as the two held eye contact, their ears filled with the sound of the waves crashing against the sand. "Then that means you'll be gone," Pearl replied, her voice little above a whisper.

The faintest of smiles graced Rose's lips. "You knew that from the start. We all did."

Pearl looked away, tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't want to believe it," she said quietly. Of course she knew that gems couldn't have children – not the way humans could. It was just so hard to accept that Rose would be gone as soon as she would be. "I still don't want to believe it," Pearl willed her voice not to break, "I don't want to you to leave."

"I don't want to leave, either. But I do want to give my son the chance to live in this world," Rose's eyes drifted back out to the view of the rolling waves. "This diverse, happy, beautiful world," she let out a gentle sigh and smiled the same ever-so-faint smile from before, "Isn't it so wonderful? I'll be able to let someone else experience the world."

Pearl shook her head. "I know you love Earth, Rose. But if you do this, you can't be here anymore."

"My son will be."

"So you're just going to leave? What will Garnet and Amethyst do without you? What about Greg?" Pearl was practically begging. "What will _I_ do without you?"

Rose was silent. Her expression remained unchanged, her hand still holding her very large, very pregnant stomach. "Oh, Pearl," her voice was soft and sweet. With a small chuckle, she whispered, "My Pearl."

Rose's eyes met Pearl's teary ones. "You'll be alright without me. I promise."

All of a sudden, Pearl was struck by a body-wracking sob. She let the tears fall. "I don't know how that could be. You're all I have." Pearl squeezed her eyes closed, wishing everything would go away.

Everything except for her.

Rose's fingers were light as a feather as they brushed the tears from Pearl's cheek. "Please, you shouldn't cry," she said quietly as she cupped Pearl's cheek in her hand. Pearl's eyes fluttered open again.

"I– I can't– help it." She covered Rose's hand with both of hers. "I'm afraid to lose you."

"There's nothing to fear. I'll never really leave you."

Pearl choked back a sob, sniveling as her eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"A part of me will always live through _him_. I won't be able to, so you'll have to love him for me."

Pearl stared up at Rose. Another silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"Can you promise me that?"

Pearl nodded. "I promise. I'll love him as I love you."

Rose smiled, a sight unmatched by any other beautiful thing in the world. It was a comforting sight: the curve of her lips, the indents of the dimples on her cheeks, the slight crinkle around her eyes... She was the most beautiful sight Pearl had ever laid eyes on, far more beautiful than anything this planet had to offer.

"Thank you, Pearl."

Rose lowered her hand from Pearl's cheek and instead took her hand. Pearl laced her fingers in between Rose's, wiping at her already dry eyes. She glanced at the monolithic pink beauty beside her, and something inside of her began to settle when she noticed the tranquil expression on Rose's face. She knew what was to come, and she welcomed it with open arms, as she did with all things that came her way.

She was at peace. She lived in peace; she would die in peace.

* * *

Barely a week had passed since the night on the beach when Rose went into labor. The contractions started in the morning, and lasted throughout the entire day.

Pearl cried. From the moment Rose first gasped in pain and grasped at her stomach, Pearl had been filled with a sinking dread. She knew the little time she had left with Rose was coming to a very abrupt end, and Pearl was nowhere near ready to face the reality that was beginning to crumble down around her.

She spent most of the time Rose was in labor curled into a ball outside, against the wall of the house, crying softly to herself. Garnet and Amethyst spent most of the day on the beach, save for the times where they went in to see Rose individually.

Every so often, Pearl would hear a shout of pain from Rose from inside, and she would bury her head deeper into her knees. She covered her ears and rocked back and forth. The last thing in the world she wanted was for Rose to be hurting in her last moments.

The sky was just starting to turn pink when the screen door creaked open. "Uh, Pearl?"

Pearl lifted her head and turned towards the speaker. "Rose, uh… Rose says she wants to talk to you." the man said, wringing his hands. "I think the baby's coming soon."

Pearl nodded. She swallowed hard before shakily rising to her feet. "Thank you, Greg."

He stepped to the side. "I'll uh, I'll leave you two alone. I need some air," he murmured.

She held the screen door as he started down the stairs, standing just outside of the house for a few moments to prepare herself.

"Pearl?"

Rose's voice was weaker than Pearl had ever heard it before, and the very sound of it brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm here," she called into the house.

"We don't have much longer."

Pearl didn't feel herself walk in. She didn't feel herself walk up to the bed, nor did she feel herself sit on the edge next to Rose.

She did, however, feel the softness of Rose's skin as she clasped her hand. She felt the warm, familiar feeling in her chest as Rose smiled at her. And suddenly, all at once, all of the dread she had been feeling turned into sadness.

A whole new flood of tears came pouring out as Pearl held onto Rose's hand for dear life. "Oh, Rose," she sobbed, "I don't know what I'm going to do."

Again, Rose wiped the tears from Pearl's cheek. "Dry your tears, this is a happy day. Very soon there will be new life."

Pearl shook her head. "It won't be the same without you."

"Pearl," Rose whispered, "You should– ah!" Suddenly, her face contorted in pain.

"Rose!" Pearl began to panic, her eyes wide and frantic.

"It's okay," Rose gasped, despite the pain. Within a few seconds, the contraction seemed to pass.

"You should try to focus on the positive things in life, Pearl. Even though I'll be gone, you'll have my son. I'll live inside of him, remember?"

"I remember," Pearl replied bitterly. She didn't want someone else in Rose's place.

"And you'll love him for me?"

Pearl nodded, though the bitterness still lingered on her face.

"Please," Rose whispered, her face full of concern.

Pearl sighed, closing her eyes for the duration of the breath. "Of course. I promised you before, and I never break my word," she said, looking into Rose's eyes, which she noticed were also blinking back tears. "I promise that I will love and care for your son the same way I do for you."

Rose smiled, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Thank you."

With a single, smooth motion, Pearl leaned closer to where Rose sat on the bed and wiped away the tear. "I'd do anything for you, Rose," she said as she wrapped her arms around the gem's neck.

Rose's arms folded over Pearl, enclosing her entire body in the warmest, most comforting embrace that only she could give.

"My Pearl," Rose breathed, pulling the other gem as close to her as she could.

Pearl felt like melting there, to just stay in Rose's arms forever, to always feel her embrace, and to never be apart from her again. She never wanted to lift her head from Rose's chest or to take her hands away from the voluminous pink curls she loved so much. Pearl nuzzled her nose into the crook of Rose's neck. She smelled like flowers.

They lay like that for some time, just the two of them, holding each other. Sharing the same space, breathing the same air, and simply enjoying the final moments they would have together. The silence was only broken when Rose spoke.

"The sky is pink," she remarked, "How beautiful."

Pearl shifted her head to look out of the window. The clouds looked like cotton candy, large and swirled. "It reminds me of you," she said.

Rose laughed. The motion shook her entire body, and Pearl's too. "You're so kind, Pearl. I'll miss you dearly."

Pearl nodded into Rose as she fought back tears. "I'll miss you, too."

"Can you do me a favor? Every time you see a pink sunset, think of me. Tell my son. Watch the sun as it sets with him and remind him how much his mother loves him."

"Of course," Pearl mumbled, her voice shaking.

In another sudden motion, Rose flinched and let out a pained moan. Pearl jumped back, finally breaking the embrace. "Aah, we don't have very long at all, my Pearl," she said as she fought for breath. "I want you to remember that I'll still be with you, both in my son and in your heart."

Pearl nodded, lacing her fingers in between Rose's.

"Take care of him," Rose pleaded, stroking her thumb over the back of Pearl's hand.

"I will," Pearl swore. She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of Rose's hand in hers. "Rose…" she started, her voice trailing off into nothingness. She took a deep breath before she spoke again, this time with more conviction. "Rose," she said, tears shining in her eyes, "I love you."

The world felt as it was slowing down around the two of them. Pearl felt as if there was suddenly nothing, as if there was a vacuum sucking at everything in the room – the air, the sound, and even the light seemed to fade. Her own fingers began to slacken in Rose's grip as things seemed to fade, just as Rose would, so much sooner than Pearl could accept.

And then Rose smiled. Such a small gesture had never filled Pearl up with the amount of pure, raw, emotion as it did in that moment. The fading light cast long shadows across the room, but that couldn't detract from the shining light that emulated from the gem, dying as she may be.

"Pearl," she whispered, drawing Pearl back into her embrace, one arm around her waist and the other across her back. Pearl returned the gesture, holding Rose for what she knew in her heart would be the last time.

Rose then pressed her lips to the top of Pearl's head in a soft, gentle kiss. "I love you, too," she said in a tone so sincere and heartwarming that Pearl couldn't help but begin to cry once more.

They stayed that way, Pearl crying as Rose held her, until Greg came back into the house. When he did, Pearl sat up, though she allowed her fingers to linger on the palm of Rose's hand, and together they closed their hands around each other's for the last time.

"Goodbye, my Pearl," Rose said as she gently squeezed her hand.

"Goodbye, Rose," Pearl replied, squeezing back.

As Pearl stood up from the bed, their hands drifted apart. Pearl folded her arms as she passed by Greg, both mutually nodding their heads as the other passed.

Before she walked out of the door, Pearl turned around to take one last look at Rose, and was almost surprised to find that she was already looking at her. Pearl held their gaze, and made note of every last detail, from the way the sheets were wrinkled where she had sat to the way that Rose's hair seemed to flow even though there was no wind in the room to the way her hands now rested so delicately on top of her stomach.

The last thing Pearl ever saw Rose do was smile. And for that, she was very glad.

Pearl had always loved Rose's smile.

She couldn't have been outside for more than twenty minutes before a bright pink light exploded from within the house, accompanied with a sharp ringing noise. Pearl closed her eyes until the light began to fade. The ringing remained for a few seconds after until it faded into another noise – the sound of a baby crying.

Pearl felt her stomach drop and a sickening feeling washed over her. She buried her face into her hands and began to sob, slumped against the outside of the house.

Just like that, Rose Quartz was gone.

* * *

Years passed, and Pearl missed Rose every day. But she was right in that she lived on through her son. He had her gem, and he had her laugh and her spirit and her compassion for the rest of the world.

Pearl loved him.

It had taken her a while to do so the way she promised, but she never broke away from what Rose wanted. She had loved Steven in Rose's place, and she would continue to do so for as long as he lived.

"Pearl!" he said, running down the beach towards where she sat. "Pearl!"

"I'm right here, Steven," she called to him, smiling to herself at the way the boy flailed his arms as he ran.

He slowed down to a stop when he reached her, heaving and gasping for air.

"Don't wear yourself out, now," Pearl told him as he continued to pant.

Steven took in a deep breath, "It's… getting… dark…" he gasped. "Are you going to come in soon?"

Pearl glanced out over the reflection of the setting sun on the water. It cast a familiar pink glow across the skyline. "Yes, I'll be inside soon. Why don't you join me for a few minutes?" She patted the sand.

"Alright," he said, plopping down next to her. He folded his hands in his lap as he too gazed out at the sunset.

They sat in silence for a few moments, gazing out at the pink-tinted sky with the darker magenta waves beneath it.

"You know, Steven," Pearl began, "Your mother once told me to think of her every time I saw a pink sunset."

The boy looked up at Pearl, his mouth hanging slightly agape.

"Do you see the way the clouds look? How huge they are? And how they seem to go on and on forever? The way the light shines through them…" she marveled - more to herself than to him - as she stared up at the sky in awe.

Steven nodded.

"That's how your mother's hair looked. It was so big," she laughed, and Steven's laughter chimed in as well.

"You know how much, she loved you, don't you?" Pearl asked him, meeting his gaze. Steven's eyes were wide, innocent. Hopeful. Just like Rose's were.

Pearl smiled. "She loved you more than anything, Steven. I know she would be so, so proud of you."

A childish grin spread across the boy's face, his eyes bright and full of emotion. Pearl wrapped her arm around his side, and he put his small, chubby arm across her back.

It was not the same kind of love that she had felt for Rose, perhaps, that Pearl loved Steven with, but it was a strong love nonetheless. After all, she had made Rose a promise to love him, and Pearl had sworn to never break that promise.

She never would.


End file.
